• Shooting is allowed until 4 p.m. daily through Oct. 6, and until sunset the rest of the season.

• Limit is six ducks daily, 12 in possession. The mallard limit is four daily, including two hens. Three wood ducks are allowed. The scaup limit is four, up from two last year. Two redheads, one black duck and one canvasback also are allowed daily.

• Motorized decoys or "mojo ducks'' are prohibited through Oct. 6 and are prohibited on state wildlife management areas all season.

• Three hunting zones were established by the DNR this year: North, Central and South. Check the agency's waterfowl regulations for season opening and closing dates for each zone.

• Extremely dry conditions will greet hunters next weekend, and scouting is advised to ensure that marshes and lakes hold enough water to be hunted this year. The DNR has said a reasonable number of ducks are in the state, particularly wood ducks and teal, which, along with mallards, typically provide the bulk of the opening day bag.

Anderson has been the Star Tribune outdoors columnist since 1993. Before that, for 13 years, he wrote the outdoors column for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He covers hunting, fishing, camping, boating, paddling and other outdoor activities, as well as natural resource conservation. Follow @stribdennis

Pat Reeve and his wife Nicole, of the acclaimed outdoor TV show "Driven with Pat & Nicole'' on the Outdoor Channel, is, as you read this, on a plane to somewhere. Or soon will be. Or just was. Nicole is there as well, along with their checked bags filled with video cameras and hunting gear.